4) Add Mappicks AND Fixed Spawns (Marines and Aliens spawn both rounds on the same Locations and chose which Maps to pick of the pool and which to ban.)

Fixed Spawns:
Pros:
-Both Teams have the same Spawns and same chances.
-There will be no "omg summit alien north GG, omg Tram alien south spawn gg"

Negatives:
-Map spawn variety and the Random factor reduced that can make games interesting from a streamers perspective get lost.
-You know from the start where the enemy is so strategy will get kinda stubborn you can play textbook Games ??
- For the Stream viewers its gonna be the same Strategy's over and over again ?

Map pick/ban process instead of preset maps:
Pros:
- You don't have to play Maps you don't like cause you can ban them.
- You can try to get the other Team on a map you think you can can take points of them.

Negatives:
- New or unpopular maps will be nearly never played.
- For the Stream viewers its gonna be the same Maps over and over.

i think there should be a more strict map rotation for the season, then i think most people would be fine with SET maps for the season... as of right now most people would want map picks instead, because we have mesh in the rotation (hasn't been played since changes... again) - at least that's what i think and im sure a lot of people agree with that

(concerning map pick/ban) Negatives:
- New or unpopular maps will be nearly never played.
- For the Stream viewers its gonna be the same Maps over and over.

The addition of a pick/ban process for group stages, can add an entirely new dynamic of preperation and strategy.I doubt we will see the same maps over and over - it would be idiotic of all teams to sit themselves on tram, jambi and veil, and no better than the current system, where you cannot try to exploit the enemy team's disadvantages/shortcomings. You are not going to want to go into an unfavored matchup, and at some point one team is going to prove themselves dominant on certain maps, meaning other maps will be played more. This system will naturally make sure than some maps are not just played on, and "lets get this over with", as many feel about maps like descent, but actively chosen and played with alot more mindfulness, as if you pick one of the odd maps, you have a plan. This will be better entertainment in the long run, as teams will play more interesting matches.

Yes, teams who can play all maps, are going to be favored, but since when is being more skilled not being favored? It is how it is.

tldr: the 2nd point about negatives is just plain bonkers.

While new maps are nice, and ensl should encourage new maps as a means to continue to evolve the metagame, and keep the game fresh, it should not do so at the sake of competitiveness. One of the products of the season is to crown a champion - those who conquered the rest, those who are skilled enough so that when the stars align themselves, they take the championship home. A competitive season which intends to crown a champion, should provide the means to do so. Some maps simply aren't balanced of the newer maps.

The problem here is: "Then where are the new maps going to get feedback from?". I dont know. Gathers? People dont generally play off maps in gathers. Why? either because they want balanced games, which is a kind of feedback in itself, or because of the culture of joining a gather to play a higher-than-pub level game and not wanting to be frustrated by playing new maps. Neither of these points are going to change any time soon. Neither gathers nor the season seems like a fitting place for new maps. Maptesting seems like the way to go, but you can't make people who dont want to, play it - which seems to be a general sentiment that that is fine, when it is in the season.

tldr: 1st point is also slightly bonkers.

As for fixed spawns, it seems fitting for some maps, like tram to force marine south spawn. Not really sure if I want any other forced spawns though. Descent has merit to for north/south, but thats due to poor map design of vents in their base, which honestly should be done something about. Descent is a great map, but has some fatal, unfun floors, which forced spawn merely is an attempt to alliviate the impact of these floors, rather than fix them.

Keep set maps(no picks), and have set spawns (south/north tram/descent etc). Otherwise we'll run with a season where the majority picks the same maps over and over again except that one team that's gonna play descent and mesh.

Set spawns increase the balance somewhat with that both teams have equal starts and from there on it's best team that wins.
Set maps(pre-determined) make sure that all maps are in rotation to force teams to play and be good at every map presented in the season instead of a select few.

If one map is not chosen at all, then it is a sign of the map not being good enough. However, I do not necessarily think that new maps will not be played at all. It suggests that every team automatically deems a new map as bad, just for being new, but I don't think that will be the case.

I think that underdog teams can greatly profit from picking underplayed maps, because playing on a map they're more familiar with than the presumably better team, gives them a better chance of winning , which is good for competition.

edit: optionally, there could be a rule, that bans the map that got picked the most from the next seasons map pool.

Keep set maps(no picks), and have set spawns (south/north tram/descent etc). Otherwise we'll run with a season where the majority picks the same maps over and over again except that one team that's gonna play descent and mesh.

Set spawns increase the balance somewhat with that both teams have equal starts and from there on it's best team that wins.
Set maps(pre-determined) make sure that all maps are in rotation to force teams to play and be good at every map presented in the season instead of a select few.

+1 for set maps
+1 for set spawns (comm checks spawn at beginning anyway, so its not like a set spawn changes anything drastically)

Which is kinda the point about fixed spawns - Both teams are forced to play the same game (tram north vs south spawn requires two almost opposite strategies). Much more competitive to lose against a team that had the same challenges as yourself.

Which is kinda the point about fixed spawns - Both teams are forced to play the same game (tram north vs south spawn requires two almost opposite strategies). Much more competitive to lose against a team that had the same challenges as yourself.

They can cheese it all they want for odds in their favor, they'll still lose against CanMercForFinals.

Well if the level of competition is too low for you, you always have the option to raise the level of competition by either improving the current players or bringing back the former prem div players that left :P

Not speaking for the team, as I did not bother to ask yet, but I am totally fine with having different spawns on the same map.
I mean, we all know what map we can play beforehand, adjust your strategies right?

Its just more fun, although could indeed be less balanced.

Same for maps.. lets just play as many comp ready maps as can be. Im bored of the forever tram-veil-summit.
There is no excuse to not know the map. PCW in it, train in it.. I dont care.
If knowing the maps are a issue, put the more custom ones later in season so all have more time to see it.

So the Poll looks like Only Fixed Spawns
and the opinions on the posts here is the majority fixed spawns too.

We have Map picks in the Playoffs most likely anyway.

So i guess we go for Fixed Spawns only so far.

And i would say we force (listed after priority) :
1) Tram Alien Warehouse spawn then same Spawns again.
2) Summit AVOID ALIENS NORTH START then same Spawns again.
3) All other Maps Randomize Spawns and then just Repeat same Spawns.